The Dance of Dragons
This article is about the Season 5 episode, for other uses see The Dance of Dragons (disambiguation). "The Dance of Dragons" is the ninth episode of the fifth season of Game of Thrones. It is the forty-ninth episode of the series overall. It will premiere on June 7, 2015. It was written by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, and directed by David Nutter. Plot Summary At the Wall In the North In Dorne In Braavos In Meereen Appearances First * Brusco * Braavosi madam * Brea * Anara Deaths * Princess Shireen Baratheon * Hizdahr zo Loraq Production Cast Starring * Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister * Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Ser Jaime Lannister * Emilia Clarke as Queen Daenerys Targaryen * Kit Harington as Lord Commander Jon Snow * Stephen Dillane as King Stannis Baratheon * Liam Cunningham as Ser Davos Seaworth * Carice van Houten as Melisandre * Indira Varma as Ellaria Sand * Maisie Williams as Arya Stark * Jerome Flynn as Ser Bronn * John Bradley as Samwell Tarly * Kristofer Hivju as Tormund Giantsbane * Tom Wlaschiha as Jaqen H'ghar * Michiel Huisman as Daario Naharis * Nathalie Emmanuel as Missandei * with Iain Glen as Ser Jorah Mormont Guest Starring * Owen Teale as Ser Alliser Thorne * Tara Fitzgerald as Queen Selyse Baratheon * Mark Gatiss as Tycho Nestoris * Alexander Siddig as Prince Doran Martell * DeObia Oparei as Areo Hotah * Joel Fry as Hizdahr zo Loraq * Ian Beattie as Ser Meryn Trant * Roger Ashton-Griffiths as Lord Mace Tyrell * Ben Crompton as Eddison Tollett * Keisha Castle-Hughes as Obara Sand * Rosabell Laurenti Sellers as Tyene Sand * Jessica Henwick as Nymeria Sand * Nell Tiger Free as Princess Myrcella Baratheon * Toby Sebastian as Prince Trystane Martell * Kerry Ingram as Princess Shireen Baratheon * Brenock O'Connor as Olly * Ian Whyte as Wun Wun * Nicholas Boulton as Fighting pit announcer * Oengus MacNamara as the thin man * Lacy Moore as the Braavosi Madam * Jack Hickey as a Young Bravo * Sarine Sofair as Lhara * Karla Lyons as Johnna's sister * Ali Lyons as Johnna * Brian Fortune as First Builder Othell Yarwyck * Michael Condron as First Steward Bowen Marsh * Danny O'Connor as a pit fighter * Garry Mountaine as Brusco * Dylan McDonough as a sailor * Jason McLaughlin as TBA * Ollie Kram as Anara * Gemita Samarra as Brea * Irma Mali as Prostitute * Alfric O'Donnell as TBA * Fiach Kunz as TBA * Michael Johnston as TBA Cast notes *16 of 27 starring cast members appear in this episode. *Starring cast members Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister), Aidan Gillen (Petyr Baelish), Natalie Dormer (Margaery Tyrell), Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy), Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), Hannah Murray (Gilly), Conleth Hill (Varys), Gwendoline Christie (Brienne of Tarth), Dean-Charles Chapman (Tommen Baratheon), Michael McElhatton (Roose Bolton) and Iwan Rheon (Ramsay Bolton) are not credited and do not appear in this episode. Notes * This episode takes its title from the fifth and most recent novel of the A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Dance with Dragons. ** Like the book title, however, it may be a nod towards the Dance of the Dragons, which was the name given to the civil war between two rival branches of House Targaryen after the death of King Viserys I. Despite this event occurring prior to the events of the series, it may refer to the near-civil war ongoing in Meereen, between Daenerys and the Sons of the Harpy. *The scenes at the Great Pit of Daznak in Meereen were filmed in Osuna, Spain, at the Plaza de Toros, which has real sandstone walls and is over a century old. Controversially, it is an actively used bullfighting ring: annual events are held at the Plaza de Toros which end with bulls actually being killed in the arena (though "sometimes the bull wins").Westeros.org Twitter account (Warningde:Der Tanz der Drachen (Episode)Category:Season 5Category:Season 5 Episodes: graphic video of bulls being stabbed to death) *This is only the fifth episode in the entire TV series in which no scenes are set in King's Landing at all (the fourth was episode 5 of this season, "Kill the Boy", which focused largely on the Boltons). Much of this episode focuses on Stannis Baratheon's camp, Arya in Braavos, Dorne, and events in Meereen. Members of the Lannisters and Tyrells do appear (Jaime and Mace) but not those in King's Landing. Littlefinger, the Arryns, and the Vale do not appear. Winterfell itself, House Bolton, Reek, Sansa Stark, and Brienne of Tarth do not appear in this episode. House Greyjoy has not appeared at all throughout Season 5 and there is only one episode left after this. *Shireen Baratheon is still alive at the end of the fifth and most current novel, A Dance with Dragons, but in the "Inside the Episode" featurette for this episode, Executive Producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss confirmed that George R.R. Martin told them that Shireen is going to be burned to death as a sacrifice in an unpublished future novel. Benioff said: "When George first told us about this, it was one of those moments where I remember looking at Dan, it was just, like, god it's so, so horrible, and it's so good in a story sense, because it all comes together."https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfLScJVXBHQ& **Shireen's death is thus the first major spoiler even for book readers. The only other thing that has been somewhat of a spoiler so far is the appearance of the White Walker leader and revelation that Craster's sons are indeed being turned into new White Walkers, back in Season 4's "Oathkeeper" - but it was implied that this was happening, and presumably the White Walkers would have some kind of leader. The burning of Shireen, however, is the first major character death confirmed to take place in an unpublished novel. **In the novels, Stannis actually left Shireen, Selyse, and Melisandre at Castle Black with Jon Snow. The basic idea that Shireen is burned as a sacrifice seems to have been moved around somewhat from how it will play out in the novels. In the books, Melisandre is still insistent on burning a sacrifice of royal blood (to the point that before his death Jon fears that she might want to burn Maester Aemon, because he is a Targaryen and specifically the son of a ruling king). It is very strongly implied that Stannis and Melisandre might burn Shireen as a sacrifice in the future - but in the upcoming apocalyptic war against the White Walkers, not so the blizzard halting his march against the Boltons at Winterfell will cease. When he marches to Winterfell Stannis actually instructs the men he leaves behind that if he dies in the assault, he expects them to keep fighting to put Shireen on the Iron Throne. Fundamentally, however, Martin confirmed to Benioff and Weiss that in some form Melisandre is going to burn Shireen alive as a sacrifice to the Lord of Light in a future novel. **The TV producers were initially not certain that Shireen would ever even appear in the TV series due to time constraints. Back when Stannis was introduced in Season 2, they later said that they actually focused very carefully on the lines saying that he "has no sons" to intentionally leave open the possibility to introduce in the future that he does have a daughter. Even when Kerry Ingram was hired to play Shireen when she was subsequently introduced in Season 3, she stated that they only hired her for the one year - again uncertain if there would be enough time to extensively include the character into the TV series. Afterwards they enjoyed Ingram's performance and how the character was working out so they gave her more scenes in the next two seasons (it is unclear at what point Martin told them that Shireen was going to be burned to death in a major moment in a future novel). *Shireen extensively mentions in this episode that she is reading a history book about the Dance of the Dragons, a massive civil war between two rival branches of House Targaryen (fought about 170 years ago) which devastated Westeros. Oddly, she says that the title of the history book written by Munkun that she is reading is "The Dance of Dragons: A True Telling", and vaguely implies that "The Dance of Dragons" was the name of the war. In the novels, the name of the civil war is "The Dance of the Dragons", and moreover, Munkun's book is titled "The Dance of the Dragons: A True Telling". It is unknown why the episode made such minor dialogue changes - though the Season 4 animated Blu-ray featurettes did refer to it by the correct full name, "The Dance of the Dragons". Whatever the case, Shireen accurately gives a succinct summation of the war: Rhaenyra Targaryen fought her half-brother Aegon II Targaryen for the throne, the great lords of the realm chose sides between them, and ultimately Targaryen fought Targaryen and dragon fought dragon. So many dragons died in the civil war that the Targaryens "never really recovered" (so few dragons were left alive by the end that within the next 30 years they went extinct). **Joffrey Baratheon previously explained who Rhaenyra was by name back in Season 3 episode 4 "And Now His Watch is Ended", saying that in the end she was captured by her brother, who then fed her to his dragon while her son watched. **Shireen mentions that Ser Bryon Swann tried to sneak up on the dragon Vhagar with a mirrored shield. Vhagar was one of the original three Targaryen dragons used to conquer Westeros, as Arya herself explained back in Season 2's "A Man Without Honor". Shireen couldn't possibly know this from reading Munkun's book, but in the novels when this incident is brought up to Tyrion Lannister, he is much better read, and points out that Munkun's "True Telling" was actually filled with several factual errors: Byron Swann fought against Rhaenyra, and Vhagar belonged to Aegon II's faction. In reality, Tyrion explains, Bryon tried to sneak up on Rhaenyra's own dragon, Syrax - though the end result was the same, the ploy didn't work and he was roasted alive. **George R.R. Martin did start writing a series of prequel novellas in 2013 expanding on the events of the Dance of the Dragons in more detail. Martin has been in discussions with HBO about various prequel projects they might want to make as spinoff TV series after the main Game of Thrones series is finished, but talks are only tentative at the moment. The other prequel novellas set only 90 years before the main series (instead of 170 years ago), the Tales of Dunk and Egg, would probably be made first. Essentially, the Dance of the Dragons was a civil war like the War of the Five Kings - but in which both sides had dragons. If the Dance of the Dragons will ever be adapted into a prequel TV series project it will not be for many years. **Stannis remarks on how odd it is that it was called the "Dance" of the Dragons. In-universe, that is just what popular songs and minstrels ended up calling it. Maesters have commented on how it isn't a very appropriate name, and "the Death of the Dragons" might be more fitting, given the massive loss in both human life and dragons killed. The loose reason might be that when dragons fight each other it somewhat looks like an elaborate aerial "dance", as each tries to land strikes with teeth and claws on the other, darting back and forth and making attack runs. *There is no logical reason for Jon Snow, Tormund, and the thousands of surviving wildlings to arrive at Castle Black from the north side of the Wall, necessitating a tense moment in which Alliser Thorne hesitates about letting them through. They were last seen fleeing Hardhome by ship. The easternmost castle on the Wall, Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, is also their port on the east coast. Jon even said he was going to Eastwatch to depart with the fleet. The fleet should have simply sailed around the Wall and deposited them directly at Eastwatch, after which if they wanted to go to Castle Black they would march along the south side of the Wall. **It is known that there were several rewrites to the Hardhome scenes. They originally thought they could film it in Iceland, but eventually decided to expand it into a major action set piece, necessitating building an expansive set in the same quarry where the Castle Black set is built in Northern Ireland. It is possible that the surviving wildlings march overland to Castle Black because this is an early scene filmed before the rewrites. **In-universe, it might be explained that Stannis's sellsail fleet that he loaned to Jon was so terrified after the massacre at Hardhome, and maybe facing such bad weather, that they refused to sail along the coast back to Eastwatch - instead just sailing for a few days down the coast for a relatively safe distance, then making Jon and the wildlings debark, and then fleeing directly across the open ocean back to the Free Cities. *The scenes in which Prince Doran Martell and his family receive Jaime Lannister were filmed in the luxurious interiors of the famous Alcázar of Seville, a medieval Islamic royal palace in Spain and a UNESCO World Heritage site, which has rarely been open to filming. *This episode provides confirmation in dialogue that Ellaria Sand is the mother of four of Oberyn Martell's daughters, and Oberyn previously established in Season 4 that he has eight daughters in the TV continuity (just as he does in the novels). In the novels, Ellaria's four daughters are Elia, Obella, Dorea, and Loreza - all of them small children who do not yet play any significant role in the narrative, though preview chapters of the next novel indicate that the eldest Elia is going to start accompanying Oberyn's older daughters. The TV version of the Sand Snakes has been somewhat condensed, specifically Tyene Sand is essentially a combination of two of his daughters from the novels: Tyene and Elia Sand. Book-Tyene is a master poisoner but not Ellaria's daughter, while book-Elia is the eldest of Ellaria's four daughters - meaning that she is young and headstrong and trying to prove herself to her older sisters. TV-Tyene combines book-Tyene's skill with poisons, with book-Elia's status as Ellaria's daughter and the youngest of the Sand Snakes that are of fighting age (Ellaria's younger three girls are small children). Oddly, "Elia Sand" was actually mentioned by name as existing in the TV continuity by Oberyn himself (though due to time restrictions there is a good chance she will not appear in the TV show, and she has barely appeared in the current novels). Given the reshuffling of the Sand Snakes in the TV series, there was some confusion over exactly how many of them Ellaria is the mother of in the TV version. Just as in the books, she is the mother of four of them - however, because she wasn't Tyene's mother in the novels, that would mean that she can't be the mother of all four of the youngest Sand Snakes behind Tyene (Elia, Obella, Dorea, and Loreza). Also no mention has been made of Sarella Sand, daughter of Oberyn and a Summer Islander ship captain, though she is "not in Dorne" at this point in the novels. The House Martell family tree remains in some confusion until the writers make official statements about this. **Moreover, Doran Martell remarks that his son Trystane must learn to rule on his own some day - implying but not definitively stating that he is Doran's heir. In the novels, he is the youngest of Doran's three children, after his daughter Arianne and elder son Quentyn. As Dorne follows gender-blind inheritance (unlike the rest of Westeros), his eldest child Arianne is also his heir in the novels. The TV series has avoided making any definitive statements on the matter, and even Doran's lines in this episode are vague - which is what the writers did back in Season 2, when they weren't sure if Shireen Baratheon would ever appear in the TV series, so they carefully phrased lines to say that Stannis "has no sons" to intentionally leave room open to later say that he has a daughter. *In the novels, Doran actually asked to send Nymeria Sand to King's Landing to take Oberyn's place on the Small Council. In the TV-version he asked to send his own son Trystane instead - though this does solve the problem of how to send Myrcella back to King's Landing when she doesn't want to be separated from Trystane. *Jaime notices that Myrcella is so taken in by the Martells that she is even wearing revealing Dornish-style clothing (better suited to the hot climate). He quips about her dress by asking if she is cold, implying it is too revealing and doesn't cover her well. This implication about being "cold" is the same remark that Cersei made about Margaery Tyrell's revealing dress in Season 3 episode 2 "Dark Wings, Dark Words". Myrcella's fashion choice is a sign that her allegiance has shifted more to the Martells than to Cersei and the Lannisters (see "Costumes: The Seven Kingdoms - Dorne"). *Myrcella explains that her Lannister lion-pendant necklace which was mailed to Cersei in King's Landing as a threat was simply stolen from her room. *Ellaria says that Jaime writes like a seven year old with his left hand: in the novels, Jaime himself notes that he can barely write legibly with his left hand, like a child first learning his letters. *Doran refers to Tommen as "King of the Andals and the First Men". In the novels, the full title is actually "King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men" - indeed, the modern Dornishmen are the descendants of the Rhoynar who migrated to Dorne one thousand years ago. The TV series didn't start introducing Dorne until Season 4 and barely mentioned it beforehand (for fear of deluging viewers with too much information), thus in the first three seasons the title consistently omitted any mention of the Rhoynar - going back to the Season 1 premiere, when Eddard Stark recites it when he pronounces sentence at the execution. Any mention of the Rhoynar was also omitted in Season 4's "First of His Name" at Tommen's coronation ceremony, even though Oberyn Martell was present in the audience. Missandei also introduced Daenerys early in Season 4 as "Queen of the Andals and the First Men", omitting mention of the Rhoynar. Then in the Season 4 finale Missandei abruptly referred to Daenerys as "Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men" - contradicting not just the TV series in general but that specific character's own lines earlier in the same season. Now Doran, ruler of the Dornishmen who are descendants of the Rhoynar, is himself presented as omitting the Rhoynar from the title. It isn't clear which one is meant to be official in the TV continuity but given that the "of the Rhoynar" addition was mentioned only once and four seasons into the TV series, then not consistently applied, Game of Thrones Wiki continues to assume for the moment that the title was changed to "King of the Andals and the First Men" in the TV continuity. *Hizdahr zo Loraq is still alive in the novels and it is as-yet unknown if he is the true leader of the Sons of the Harpy. *In the novels, Daenerys Targaryen notices how riding dragons uses different commands than when riding horses: because horses are prey animals, they instinctively turn away from danger, so a rider hits them on their left flank to make them turn right. In contrast, she realizes, dragons are predators, so if she hits them on the left side they will instinctively turn left to counter-attack whatever is hurting them. *The TV series has switched around the actions and fates of several of the men who were on Arya Stark's kill list, specifically men who served Gregor Clegane at Harrenhal. Three men on her list were Meryn Trant, Polliver, and another man called Raff the Sweetling who does not appear in the TV series. In the books, it is Raff who accompanies the Master of Coin to the Iron Bank of Braavos, not Ser Meryn. Raff is interested in having sex with under-aged girls in the novels (this is not an invention of the TV series), though Meryn specifically is not, but these traits carried over to him by combining their storylines. Mace Tyrell also wasn't the representative sent to Braavos, but another minor Small Council character. *When Arya is in the brothel she takes payment in "coppers" and "silvers". Braavos doesn't use the same Currency that the Seven Kingdoms do, based on the "Gold Dragon" coin and its denominations, the Silver Stag and Copper Penny. In fact, Braavosi currency takes the form of square iron coins - and these have appeared prominently in the TV series since Season 3. That being said, not much is known about the Braavosi currency system, and it is entirely possible that just as the overall "Gold Dragon" currency system in Westeros has smaller denominations that use other metals, the Braavosi currency system might also have denominations in copper and silver coins. Alternatively, these might have been other Lannister guardsmen, out of uniform, visiting the brothel and just offering to pay in Gold Dragon denominations. *There was no "King Maegor the Third" as Mace Tyrell describes, who tried to outlaw money-lending throughout the Seven Kingdoms. There was only one King Maegor, second son of Aegon the Conqueror, who was an infamous tyrant - to the point that history popularly remembers him as "Maegor the Cruel". He has been mentioned several times in the TV series since Season 1. While she didn't mention him by name, when Cersei and the High Sparrow discuss how the Targaryens disbanded the Faith Militant over two hundred years ago, it was actually Maegor who ruthlessly warred with the Faith of the Seven to crush their military order. In the generations after his death, Maegor was so infamous - he was killed "Maegor the Cruel" after all - that the Targaryens avoided ever naming one of their children after him again (except the son of Aerion Brightflame, Maester Aemon's older brother, but Aerion was wildly insane). The possible way to reconcile this is that - given that this is Mace Tyrell we're dealing with here - Mace might simply be mistaken in-universe to call him "Maegor the Third" and he really means "Maegor the Cruel". In the books : See: Differences between books and TV series - Season 5#The_Dance_of_Dragons * The episode is adapted from the following chapters of A Feast for Crows: ** Chapter 40, The Princess in the Tower: Prince Doran releases the mastermind behind the plot to start a war between Dorne and the Crown, though she is furious and remains defiant. * The episode is adapted from the following chapters of A Dance with Dragons: ** Chapter 7, Jon I: Stannis offers the Night's Watch support to man the nineteen castles along the Wall. ** Chapter 35, Jon VII: The giant Wun Wun and some wildling men follow Jon Snow to Castle Black, and they are let in through the gate, though the men of the Night’s Watch are reticent to let a giant in. ** Chapter 38, The Watcher: The Sand Snakes are released. Prince Doran hosts Cersei’s Kingsguard, drinks in the name of King Tommen and agrees to have the Kingsguard take Princess Myrcella back to King’s Landing, accompanied by Trystane. Ellaria Sand says she is tired of the cycle of vengeance. Doran demands the conspirators to swear their allegiance or else —and they do, reluctantly. The Prince chooses a relative to take on the position Oberyn had briefly held in the small council before his death. ** Chapter 51, Theon I: Reluctantly, Roose Bolton lets out a host to fight Stannis in the snow. ** Chapter 52, Daenerys IX: In celebration of the marriage between Daenerys and Hizdahr and the reopening of the fighting pits, a gladiatorial celebration is held at Daznak's Pit, whose gates are adorned with two massive statues of warriors fighting each other, forming an arch. During the games, an attempt is made on Daenerys’s life, believed to be perpetrated by the Sons of the Harpy, and just then Drogon appears. Many try to kill the dragon and die in the attempt. Dany runs into the arena, shouting at Drogon. Although Drogon shows some aggression towards her, she subdues him until he allows her to mount him. Then, she rips out a spear pierced in his side, and Drogon flies away with Daenerys, who looks back on the city of Meereen beneath her, while in her thoughts she commands him to fly. ** Chapter 57, Tyrion XI: Tyrion witnesses the events at Daznak’s Pit. ** Chapter 49, Jon X: Tormund returns to the Wall with thousands of wildlings. ** Chapter 58, Jon XII: Jon lets over thousands of Free Folk through the Wall at Castle Black, despite the misgivings of most of the Night's Watch. While watching the wildlings pass through the wall, Jon discusses the White Walkers, which the group encountered on the way to the Wall. ** Chapter 62, The Sacrifice: Stannis’ camp is left stranded by the heavy snowstorm in their way to Winterfell —All men are hungry and many are dying, both among the men and the horses, which they are resorting to eating now, as the food supply is lacking. Stannis finally relents and authorizes a sacrifice to be made for the Lord of Light in the hopes the storm will dissipate, which he watches silently. ** Chapter 64, The Ugly Little Girl: In her disguise of the orphan girl who sells clams in the canals, Arya follows the conman she is charged with assassinating. * The sixth novel, The Winds of Winter, remains unpublished, so there are some events brought forward from it that may occur in the story, yet the specific chapters are unknown. This may include Sansa’s wedding and her return to Winterfell, both of which are also part of Littlefinger's plan in the books but have not happened yet. The meeting of Tyrion and Daenerys has been confirmed to take place in the sixth book, as well as the resolution to the Battle in the snow between Stannis and the Boltons, and Shireen’s death. The episode is adapted from the following chapters of The Winds of Winter: ** Chapter unknown, Mercy: While disguised, Arya chances on a Lannister lackey in her kill list, who is guarding the recently chosen Master of Coin sent to Braavos to negotiate the Crown's debt with the Iron Bank. Arya follows her target and learns that he has an interest in child prostitutes. References